David Grann and Lisa Ko

Bestselling writer David Grann (THE LOST CITY OF Z) has another new book, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, that uncovers a crime (actually, a massacre) that most Americans know nothing about: the murders of Osage Indians in Oklahoma in the 1920's, just as the Osage were accumulating vast wealth from the vast oil reserves under their land. And guess who the perpetrators were? We're not saying in this interview with Grann, although he discloses some fascinating elements of the crime.

We also check in with Lisa Ko, whose hotly anticipated debut novel THE LEAVERS has already racked up a big award (from Barbara Kingsolver, no less!).

And Kirkus' editors give us the good news/bad news on which bestsellers to seek out and which to skip.

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Past Episodes

Does a writer have a duty to be moral? And what happens when a writer tries to be wise? We talk to National Book Award-winning writer James McBride on this week's episode about his new story collection, FIVE-CARAT SOUL, and those vexing questions. And were also joined by Attica Locke, whose new thriller, BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD, is a "deftly-plotted whodunit" according to our reviewer in a starred review. And our editors talk about the newly named 2017 Kirkus Prize finalists!

When did Americans come to shun reality? If your answer is "recently," Kurt Andersen, the author of the entertaining book FANTASYLAND: HOW AMERICA WENT HAYWIRE: A 500-YEAR HISTORY, wants you to reconsider. We delve into the book in this week's episode. We also talk to Rene Denfeld, author of the new novel, THE CHILD FINDER, in which a gifted investigator combs Oregon's snowy mountain forests for a missing girl. And our editors reveal which bestsellers this week they think you ought to try out!

We travel to ancient Greece in this week's episode with Daniel Mendelsohn, author of AN ODYSSEY: A FATHER, A SON, AND AN EPIC, in which Mendelsohn's 81-year-old father asks to sit in on the seminar about THE ODYSSEY his son is teaching (complications ensue). We also catch up with Eleanor Henderson, whose new novel, THE TWELVE-MILE STRAIGHT, is an ambitious novel set in the South in 1930. And our editors check in with their latest recommendations!

Salman Rushdie joins us this week on Fully Booked to talk about his new novel, THE GOLDEN HOUSE, a sort of GREAT GATSBY for our time: everyone is implicated, no one is innocent, and no one comes out unscathed, no matter how well padded with cash, as our reviewer puts it in a starred review. And if the widening gap between rich and poor in America concerns you, check out our interview with John Freeman, the editor of TALES OF TWO AMERICAS. Lastly, our editors weigh in with their recs for some excellent new books to read!

This week, we talk to debut novelist Cherise Wolas about THE RESURRECTION OF JOAN ASHBY. "Can you be a mother and also be an artist -- or, by extension, pursue any serious ambition at all?" our reviewer asks in our starred review of the novel. "This is the question taken up with urgency and all due complexity in lawyer and film producer Wolas' debut novel." And our editors speak up with their recommendations of what to read, and what to skip!

Gabrielle Zevin is best-known for her bestseller from a few years ago, THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY; today we ask her about her new novel, YOUNG JANE YOUNG, which is funny, insightful, and a real pleasure to read. We also catch up with debut YA writer F.C. Yee, whose humorous debut novel, THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO, is just out. And our editors pipe up with their suggestions of which bestsellers to read and which to avoid!

Who knows more about the Amish than almost anyone? A bestselling thriller writer who lives in Amarillo, Texas named Linda Castillo. This episode, we ask Castillo about the latest in her Kate Burkholder series, DOWN A DARK ROAD. Debut novelist Ayobami Adebayo also joins us to talk about her affecting novel, STAY WITH ME. And children's-teen editor Vicky Smith takes the stage to highlight an excellent new novel and one you can safely avoid.

We gave a rare starred review to bestselling thriller writer Karin Slaughter's new novel THE GOOD DAUGHTER. Slaughter talks to us on todays episode about why she sets all of her novels in Georgia, what it's like being a continual bestseller, and where she gets her ideas from. And pioneering tech worker and writer Ellen Ullman also joins us to talk about her new memoir, LIFE IN CODE: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY, which our critic calls, "a sharply written, politically charged memoir of life in the data trenches." Our editors talk about which bestsellers they think are worth your time and which you can safely skip!

Tom Perrotta - the author of THE LEFTOVERS (which became the HBO series), LITTLE CHILDREN, and ELECTION, among others - has a funny, brand-new novel, MRS. FLETCHER, that our reviewer says is "more spot-on satire with heart and soul from a uniquely gifted writer." We also talk to memoir writer Heather Harpham about her honest new memoir, HAPPINESS. And if you're looking for a few good summer reads, our editors are here to help you out!

This week, we catch up with bestselling thriller writer Ace Atkins and ask him about the latest in his series of crime novels starring detective Quinn Colson, who's on the trail of bank robbers and sex traffickers in THE FALLEN. We also talk to Jardine Libaire, whose new novel WHITE FUR has been picked up for development by Amazon Studios. And our editors pipe up with their latest recommendations!